Page 89 of Beneath the Mountain Sky

I slowly turn my head and look at him. “What?”

“You need to come clean with Willow. Tell her everything. If you don’t, things are just going to continue to get more awkward between you the longer this goes on.”

More awkward?

I snort and take a swig of my beer. “I don’t think that’s fucking possible.”

“It is.” His gaze softens. “I’ve seen the way she looks at you.”

So have I.

I squeeze my eyes shut and see it behind my closed lids.

She looks at me like I’m her hero, but she should see me as the villain.

Before I can argue further with what was a good-intentioned suggestion to finally clear the air between us, the sound of the cabin door and soft footsteps on the porch freezes all of us.

Willow approaches, blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders, now in a loose pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt she slipped into after the bath she took when we got back.

Connor and Liam both push up from their chairs.

Liam smacks my shoulder. “It’s getting late. Time to hit the sack.”

“You’re abandoning me?”

They both give me a knowing smirk before they stalk off in the direction of their cabins deeper on the property—just as she reaches me.

Fucking perfect.

She stands at the edge of the fire, eyes locked on it instead of me.

The flames cast light and shadows across the mostly healed bruises on her face. She tugs the blanket tighter, despite the warmth she must feel being so close to the pit.

“Are you all right?” I scan her, taking in every detail, searching for any signs of the distress that usually wakes her at night. “Did you have another nightmare?”

Those stormy orbs finally cut over to meet my gaze, and she shakes her head. “No. I just figured you’d be out here.” She slowly makes her way around the bonfire pit and lowers herself into the seat Liam recently vacated next to me. “You always came out here when you needed to relax and think at night, and I figured you’d need to.”

“Yeah, well, it isn’t doing me much good.” I drain the rest of my beer and set the empty down next to the cooler. “You want one?”

She shakes her head. “I’m good.”

I pop open another and take a sip.

Her eyes return to the fire, and I know I should stop staring at her, should stop watching her, but I can’t tear my gaze away.

Even after everything she’s been through, she’s still the most stunning thing I’ve seen in my life. The only woman who has ever held my heart, who’s ever even gotten close to it, and yet, I destroyed her.

“I need you to do something for me, Killian.” She finally glances over at me again. “Please.”

It isn’t like her not to just ask.

That tightens my gut.

“What?”

Her fingers twist the edges of the blanket. “I think it’s time you told me the truth. I think it’s time you told me what really happened between us. Because you spent the day avoiding me…”

“How could I avoid you? We were hiking together the whole day.”